The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1887-10-27

was evident the captain and mates looked
for a protest, for all were on deck. The
name of our spokesman was Herbert, and
he was English born. The captain came
forward to meet us as we grouped
around Herbert with hats off, and after
looking us over he shouted out:
"Well, d-n your eyes, why don't you
speak up? What is wanted of me?''
''If You please, sir" said Herbert, 1--WE
can't eat the grub"
"Oh, you can't? You are probably dis
appointed. You expected oyster soup,
Java coffee, hot biscuit and honey, and
your stomachs have gone back on you" =
''Your honor, but will you please smell
of this beef" asked Herbert, advancing a
STEP ..-..-
''snell of the beef, you hounds, your"
howled the captain. "Did the owners en-
gage me to sail the ship or to smell of the
forecastle beef? 1 sized you up on the
start for lot of skulking sojers, and
here's proof that was right You are a
lot of ID mutinous dogs, and now's
the time to give you lesson"
With that the three officers began the
attack, never minding who they hit, and
driving the watch on deck forward with,
the others. The man at the wheel was,
believe, the only man who escaped blow,
while not q sailor raised his hand in reply.
The ship was running off before light
breeze, and for fifteen minutes the three
men had it their own way. Then the cap
tains watch was called, the other sent be-
low, and as we came on deck Capt Nc
Kay said: F.
'tThere, curse you for a lot of dock loaf
ers hope you have found out who sails
this ship. The man who dares come aft
with another complaint will get his brains
knocked out"
There were nine of us in the captains
watch, which, as told you, was really
the second mates watch-no captain
standing q watch at sea unless he SO wills.
Every one of us had been struck or
kicked, and two of the men had been saw
agely beaten on the head and were COW
cred with blood. The name of the first
mate, who now went below with the cap
tain, was McLogan. The name of the
second mate was Andrews. He was a
| younger man than the others, and per-
haps had more heart, for after bit,
while Herbert had the wheel, he stopped
pear him and observed:
"The old man is a little rough, but one
of the best seamen out of Glasgow. You
complained too soon."
But, Mr.. Andrews, what are we to do
for grub?" asked Herbert. '"There isn't
man in the fo'castle as can eat such
| stuff
"Well, it's not my lookout what the
owners furnish. Unless you men want
HI to pay you will turn to and make the
/ best of it,
| That closed the conversation. Not a
man of us spoke of mutiny or even the
slightest resistance to lawful authority.
When our watch was up we turned in
and went to sleep. /, for one, cherished
the hope that the provisions would be bet
ter in the morning. The officers had only
to taste them to realize that they were to-
tally unfit, and hoped the captain would
do this and thus do away with all cause
for further complaint. AS the kids were
! brought forward at breakfast time, how
! ever, we scented the sinking beef long
! before 1t reached us, and we found the
biscuit and tea as vile as ever. Having
eaten nothing since the previous noon, and
all of us being hearty men, you can imag-
inc that we were sharp set. Not q mai
of us, however, could swallow that food,
and the kids and pannikins were left
standing at the windlass for the cook to
carry back with their contents untouched.
! The men looked at each other with
troubled faces, but there was no threat of
! mutiny. We went to our work on empty
stomachs, as also did the other watch,
and, though the officers knew it, not q
| word was said. The men chewed an extra
quantity Of tobacco, and hoped that noon
would soften the captains heart.
Noon brought no change, and when
supper was served and we found the same
grub placed before us, the men broke out
with curses. If the food had been eat
able, don't you suppose that sailors, who
had been from twenty-four to thirty
hours without eating a mouthful, would
have at least nibbled at it? am telling
you what / afterward made affidavit to.
made repeated attempts to worry down
some of the meat, but each time it was re-
jected. Some of the men who got few
swallows of the tea down were made
dreadfully sick. Again we went supper
less, but now the men began to assert
that no law of the high seas permitted q
captain to starye his crew. We would
wait until morning, and. If the food was
not changed, something must be done. /
am sure the captain expected something
to occur that night, for he was frequently
on deck, and the three officers were more
than once in consultation. The cook had
reported, as we afterward learned, that
the captain had replied: s..
"Wcll, TIE burned sojers will either eat
such grub as set out, or live on their own
fat
lam telling you truthfuIly that not q
word of mutiny was whispered during the
night We made no threats, and had NO
plan, but yet we all felt that the morning
would bring O crisis of some sort. Dur
ing the night, in the case of both watches,
the officers were very abusive, and the
men were struck or kicked without the
shadow of an excuse. When daylight
came, and we began to scrub down, the
breeze died quite away, and we lay be-
Gained. We were at this time about 90
or 100 miles from the British coast
When it was time for breakfast both
watches were on deck, and as the mer
went to the cooks galley to receive theil
kids and pannikins all three officers showed
up on deck. / was at the wheel, and
saw that the captain and first mate ha6
their revoivers. The kids were taken for
ward without word. The food had moi
been changed, and the men pushed the
dishes away. If there was any growing
7 couldn't hear it. The captain waited
about ten minutes, and then seeing tina
the men were not going to eat, he told tn,
SeCUuu Iilsttt W OEucE tuttu I'LL. ALI CtlIut
in q body, and all bore themselves respect
fully.
"Look here, Herbert" said the captain
addressing the sailor who had acted Al
spokesman on the previous occasion
"what is the matter with the grub"
"It's bad, s1r-unf1t to eat" replied tn
man.
''That is, you lazy lubbers have agrees
among you to call it bad, and to make m
put into some porty"
"Sir, there's never q man of us Blu
what is willing to stand for the voyag
and work our best, but the grub, sir, beg
ging your pardon, was spoiled long enougl
before it came on board. viii you pleas
inspect it, sir?n
} mot by damned sight, and now wei
see which end of this ship sails the other.
With that he rushed upon Herbert t
:, strike him with his loaded weapon, Will
the mates seized Delaying pins and dashe'
in to knock down as many men as the
! could. The sailors ran forward, and
heard some of them begging for mercy
The officers followed them, evidently de
, termined to wreak savage vengeance, ant
! it was only when driven to the windlas
hot fho n N